


Crucible

by Theuswnt



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-22 05:39:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7422052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theuswnt/pseuds/Theuswnt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tobin Heath is a highly trained assassin. At a young age, she was forced to join The Program. Overtime, Tobin has become a killer with no remorse until she is presented with her next assignment. She's been on missions before, but this mission is different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bad Memories

Tobin opened a black case revealing a M24. Its a sniper consisting of 5 bullets but Tobin already knows that she will only need to use one. "I'm nervous."

The tiny metallic earpiece located in Tobin's ear buzzed . "Tobin, relax. You've done this before. Take a deep breath. You're a master when it comes to this stuff. One shot, one kill and you're done."

Tobin thought about it for a second "You're right, Lauren." She exhaled a deep breath trying to slow down her heart beat. "I'll message you when it's finished."

As Tobin adjusted the sniper, she scanned the crowd of people coming in and out of the building. She rested her pointer finger on the trigger and waited for the target.

Slowly but surely, a limousine pulled up in the driveway of the sixty-five building. The very successful business man who went by the name of James Roscoe stepped out. Tv broadcasters crowded him immediately.

Tobin sighed. She was prepared to pull the trigger but her fingers went numb and suddenly she couldn't feel anything.

 _What's going on?_ was Tobin's last thought before she completely blacked out.

 

* * *

  
Lauren woke Tobin up by gently shaking her. She was instructed to take Tobin to a safe house after she blacked out.

Tobin slowly opens her eyes, "Yeah, yeah I'm awake." Tobin rubbed her neck as she stood up. "My neck is extremely sore."

"That is because you got shot with a tranquilizer gun." Lauren poured Tobin a glass of water and handed it to her. Tobin took the glass and chugged down the water quickly. "I didn't realize I was that thirsty." Tobin said as she set the glass down.

"There are clothes for you in that drawer over there," Lauren turned her head in the direction of the dresser. "After you get cleaned up, Abby would like to talk to you about what happened yesterday and about your upcoming assignment. She's waiting for you downstairs."

Tobin nodded, "Thanks, Lauren. I didn't realize that I haven't thanked you before for helping me."

"You're always welcome, Tobin. I remember when you were first brought to The Program."

The Program. That's what they like to call themselves. A secret organization that is run by the government. Tobin was only 14 when they transformed her into a brutal and highly skilled assassin.

They filled Tobin's life with darkness, but thankfully Lauren was there to harness the light that was still left in her. When Tobin was brought by The Program, Lauren took her under her wing. Lauren was like Tobin's mentor. She was the big sister she never had.

They didn't train Lauren to work in the field, but as a computer science major from UCLA she knew a lot about computers. Every assignment that Tobin has been on, Lauren was always there helping her behind the computer screen.

Tobin shook her head, not wanting to relive it again. "Tell Abby I'll be down in 15 minutes."

"Okay." Lauren said as she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.

 

* * *

 

Tobin sat at a wooden table eating a breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs, two pieces of bacon, and toast that The Program provided. It reminded her of her happy childhood that she once had. But that happy childhood is only a distant memory now because it was taken away from her when she was forced to join The Program.

"Do you remember this house?" Abby eased herself into a wooden chair across from Tobin. Tobin pushed the half eaten breakfast away from her because she had suddenly lost her appetite.

"Yeah, I remember clearly. This is the one where you murdered my mother and father." Tobin said coldly.

"You should be angry at your parents, not me. Your parents were dangerous people. We've been over this a million times. There was no other choice."

Tobin clenched her jaw tightly. She was holding back from what she really wants to say. "Just hand me the damn folder."

Abby nodded and slid a vanilla folder across the table. Tobin glared at her before opening the folder of her next victim.

She stared at the information for a long time. There is a picture of a woman with long brown hair and memorizing blue eyes paper clipped to the corner of the folder. Tobin continued to read.

"I don't know what's going through your mind right now, Tobin, but we need your full attention on this assignment. It's extremely important."

Tobin paused and looked up. "You want me to assassinate Alex Morgan? She's the face of women's soccer and you want me to end her life. Is there some type of jealousy there because your soccer career was cut short?" Tobin knew how to push Abby's buttons.

The expression in Abby's face changed and she slammed the table with her fist. "Don't you dare bring that up!"

"Then don't you dare bring anything up about my family!" Tobin countered. "Do we understand each other?"

Abby took a moment to recollect her thoughts before speaking again. "I played with Alex on the youth national team. She's a very nice girl and she's also an excellent soccer player. It's her family who are the corrupt ones, mostly her father but I won't elaborate on specific details. All you need to do is take out Alex and hopefully her father will lay off his off illegal actions. Let her death be a warning to him."

Abby continued, "The USWNT are playing a game against South Africa this weekend so you're flying to Chicago, Illinois. Early vacation, I guess." She handed Tobin her passport and boarding ticket.

"Once you land, there will be further instructions." Abby rose from her seat. "Also, we are looking into whoever shot you in the neck with a tranquilizer."

When Abby turned to exit, Tobin grabbed the kitchen knife from her abandoned breakfast plate. She quickly closed the small gap between her and Abby and brought the knife down. Abby was too quick and too experienced for sloppy mistakes that Tobin just attempted.

Abby reacted swiftly on her feet. She turned her body around and grabbed Tobin's wrist. She twisted it while disarming the knife from her hand. Then she brought down the knife into the side of Tobin's arm.

Tobin bit down hard on her bottom lip to keep from yelling in pain. She could already taste the fresh blood.

"Don't forget who trained you, kid." Abby said as she patted Tobin on the back and walked out of the house.

"Fuck." Tobin mumbled as she pulled the handle of the knife out.


	2. Search and Destroy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a filler chapter. The story will get more dramatic as the it progresses

_Tobin - age 14_

_"Mom! Dad! I'm home. Soccer practice ended early so I got a ride from Kelley." Tobin said as she closed the front door and threw her soccer bag to the side._

_She noticed several faint footstep marks leading into the kitchen. With caution, Tobin carefully followed them._

_There were two bodies lying on the kitchen tile. The entire kitchen was a complete disaster. The cabinets were open, some of the hinges were coming off. There was broken glass on the counter. This did not end well._

_She frantically rushed over to her parents, and examined their bodies. Both of their faces were stained with blood. Her hands hovered over their necks trying to find a pulse, but there was none. Tobin swallowed hard letting a tear escape. "Heaven received two beautiful angels today." She whispered "I love you both."_

_"Tobin Heath?" An unfamiliar voice called from behind. The figure walked in front of Tobin's blurry line of vision. "I'm very sorry for your loss, but you'll need to come with us."_

 

* * *

 

Tobin grabbed a duffel bag off of the conveyor belt. The duffel bag didn't even belong to her. Tobin had a backpack resting on her shoulders, but she didn't want to draw too much attention to herself so she used this as a ploy.

She exited the airport and saw a chauffeur holding up a white sign that read 'Tobin Heath.' Tobin approached the man as she grabbed her iPhone out of the back pocket of her jeans. The phone looks and feels like a regular iPhone, but it has multiple hidden features. The phone cannot be tracked and calls made from it are untraceable. The phone is like a ghost. It was specifically designed for Tobin by The Program.

She connected the phone to the earbud. The earpiece buzzes, "You finally landed?" Abby asked on the other end.

"No shit, Sherlock." Tobin said as she handed the driver the duffel bag. She took a seat in the back of the unmarked car while the driver closed the trunk.

"That was actually a stupid question because there's a GPS tracker on you at all times but you already know that."

Tobin became annoyed, "Where am I going now?"

"The game starts in 4 hours so you should get there early. Tell the driver to take you to Soldier Field but make sure you tell him to drop you off a couple blocks away from the stadium. When you find the abandoned Chinese Restaurant, there's a trash bin with a bag in it. It has everything you need. Remember, Alex is your main priority."

Tobin heard a click and the line went dead.

Call ended

"Soldier field." Tobin said. The driver nodded. As the wheels on the car began to move, Tobin stared out the window.

 

* * *

 

"You can let me out here." Tobin suggested as she grabbed her belongings. The driver pulled up to a curb and put the car in park. The stadium could be seen from her location, but Tobin followed orders and she got out anyway.

"What about your luggage?" 

"It's not mine. You can have it." Tobin said as she slammed the car door shut and walked away.

She was about 3 blocks from the stadium when she spotted the Chinese restaurant. It's definitely abandoned,  Tobin thought. Tobin walked around to the back, where the trash can was. She lifted the lid and took the bag out. There was also a black case which she grabbed. Tobin opened the bag which contained a note from Abby. It read:

**Here's some USWNT gear for you. Consider it an apology from me for sticking a knife into your arm. Anyways, It should help you blend in more.**

**Get it done.**

**-Abby**

Tobin crushed the note in her hand and tossed it. She pulled over the red three quarter zip jacket over her head. The material seemed to fit her body perfectly. She also slipped on the sweatpants.

Tobin opened the black case that carried the sniper. She put it in her backpack along with the game ticket in case she needs it.

She looked down at her watch as she approached the stadium. It was 2 hours until the game and there was a multitude of people walking around. No way in hell Tobin was going through the main entrance so she's going to have to find another way in.

She found a door on the side of the stadium. The door was authorized personnel only and it was secured by a digital lock pad. Tobin looked around to make sure she was not being watched. Tobin reached into her backpack and pulled out a screw driver. She unscrewed it. She opened the lock pad and disabled it before slipping in through the door.

When Tobin was inside, she heard the door open and close again. Just keep walking, Tobin. By the sound of the footsteps, she could tell it was security.

"You're not suppose to be in here. This is authorized personnel only." the voice called out. 

Tobin slowly turned around. She had to think quickly. "I was just sent to get some water bottles for the USWNT." She pointed to the Gatorade bottle rack that she saw on the ground.

The officer paused for a brief moment then shook his head, "Then you better go and deliver the World Champions their water."

"Will do." The officer headed to the field and Tobin went for the stairs. There were 16 flights but she's trained for this. Once she reached the top, she slipped the backpack off her shoulders. Tobin set the sniper in position and loaded it.

"Tobin, are you there?" Lauren asked.

"I'm here. I'm sitting at a seat that's blocked off from the public. When do I shoot?"

"Abby's orders are to shoot before halftime. She says to exit as quickly as you can.

"Got it."

Tobin watched in amusement as the crowd goes wild when the players step onto the pitch. She rose as the  national anthem played and placed her right hand over her heart. She was proud to be an American but she was not proud of what she has become. The anthem ended and she pushed the thought out of her head.

The referee blew the whistle signaling that the match was on. Tobin noted at how quickly Alex moves, her strides resembling that of a baby horse. She watched the game intently, remembering when she once shared  the dream to become a professional soccer player. When the U.S scored in the 34th minute, Tobin found herself cheering like a normal fan would.

"Get ready, Tobin." Abby reminded her.

It was nearing the 40th minute when she spotted two men dressed in all black roaming the upper rows, where there were no people. She looked through the scope of the sniper and noticed two more men on the field, one of them speaking on his phone. Tobin wouldn't have noticed them but their strange movements made them stick out.

"Did you send these men?"

"What men?" This news surprised Abby.

"There's four men and they're all armed. Two up top and two on the field. Tell Lauren to track the calls being made from this location." Tobin demanded as she tried to think of what to do next. "There's another person who targets Alex Morgan and her father."

"Lauren says there's a bomb hidden inside the arena. Abort the old mission. We will now focus on the bomb. Plan B. Kill these men, find the bomb, and defuse it. Search and Destroy. It's like Call of Duty but real life. Hopefully Alex Morgan gets to live. For now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I will be on vacation so it might take awhile until I update again. If you want to contact me my ig is @uswnttextposts


	3. Where loyalties lie

_Find the bomb and defuse it._ These directives sound simple enough but nothing's ever simple when Tobin is involved. She's been taught to be prepared for spontaneous stunts like this, but when over 19,000 innocent lives lie in the balance of your hands, it can get kind of nerve wracking. The focus wasn't about taking out Alex Morgan anymore, but it was about saving these people.

15 minutes was the allotted time Tobin had to find and defuse the bomb. She already made up her mind of what she was going to do. Tobin stashed the equipment under a random seat. She concealed a knife in the waist band of her sweatpants before immediately sprinting to the opposite side of where she was standing. There's two men up top so she's going to take them out quickly and quietly to avoid causing any chaos.

"Any hint as to where the bomb is?" Tobin asked.

"No, but we are trying to detect it. Lauren is pulling up thermal imagining right now." Abby responded.

Tobin slowed down her pace when she approached the men. She dropped to the ground and hid behind a row of seats while eavesdropping on their conversation.

"What did our boss have to say?" One of them asked with a heavy English accent.

"Approximately 12 minutes until the bomb will detonate. He says to remain in position for now." The other informed. He also had a heavy English accent.

"This place is gonna be a complete mess after. How're we gonna get out of here?"

"What do you mean? There's a finish point after every mission. We move when boss says so." He said. "Now get into position."

They turned to face the field and Tobin decided that this was her moment to attack. They're both armed with pistols, but that won't be a problem for her. She grabbed her knife and quickly closed the gap between them. She jabbed the weapon into one of the mans chest before pushing him to the ground. He laid face down already drawing a pool of blood. The other man reacted. He reached for his pistol and aimed it at Tobin's head.

"Don't fucking move!" He shouted. He gripped the gun with unsteady hands. From his lack of experience and the frightened look in his eye, Tobin knew right away that he was a rookie.

"If you shoot, everyone in this stadium will hear." Tobin said calmly with her hands up, one hand clutching the bloody knife.

"I don't care. Drop the knife."

"Okay, okay." Tobin bent down, ready to drop the blade but little did he know that she was exceptionally skilled in knife throwing. Tobin flicked her wrist at the last second, the knife piercing his bicep causing him to drop the gun. She jumped up instantly kicking the gun far out of his reach. She yanked the knife out of his arm and grabbed his wrist holding it tightly behind his back while he groaned in pain.

"I know there's a bomb here. Tell me where it is." Tobin asked.

"I can't." He managed to get out.

"I won't ask again. Where is it?" Tobin repeated, more demanding this time. She applied more pressure to his arm.

He winced in pain, "You don't understand." He chuckled, "If you don't kill me now, they will later."

"Who's they?"

"The organization that I work for. Their name is of no significance to you."

Tobin sighed, "Listen to me. What's your name?"

"Dom." The man said.

"Why is your organization targeting Alex Morgan?"

"I have no idea why she is the target, but I was given orders and I was in only instructed to follow them." Dom replied. "I didn't choose this life."

"What do you mean you didn't choose this life?" Tobin asked.

"I have a wife and a baby boy on the way. I was unemployed. I had just lost my job and then they found me, the organization. If I didn't agree to work for them, they threatened to kill my family so I accepted. If I do my job, they provide income for my wife. We had no money at the time so I didn't a have choice."

"I have a deal to make. I'll help you escape from them and they'll never threaten you and your family again. You'll actually get to witness your baby boy being born. In return, you have to help me find the bomb and shut it down. I know this is a long shot, rebelling against your organization and everything, but it's worth it. What do you say, Dom?" Tobin let go of him and extended her hand outward.

Dom reached for Tobin's hand and gave it a firm shake. "Alright, but we have to hurry."

He glanced down at the timer that was counting down. "Only seven minutes and thirty-two seconds left. But there's two of us so lets move."

"What about your men?"

"Leave them. We have to get out of here once we shut the bomb down. They can take care of themselves," Dom reassured. He recollected his pistol. He also grabbed the walkie talkie from his partner. "Here, use this if we need to communicate." Tobin clipped the receiver to her sweatpants.

Taking two to three steps at a time, Dom and Tobin raced down the staircase. Once they reached the ground level, they moved closer to the bomb.

"Dom, are you there?" The voice paused. "Why aren't you and your partner in position?" The voice sounded harsh and rigid.

Dom and Tobin both exchanged glances. "I ran into a problem, but I decided to head to the finish point." He answered back hoping he would buy his lie.

There was silence from the other end.

"You're not suppose to move from position, rookie. I'll let it slide just this once. Do not move once you reach the finish point." The voice commanded.

Dom made sure that the walkie talkie was off. They were walking around the corner when Dom stopped at the door. He turned the knob and they both entered.

"What the hell is this." Tobin asked as she stared at a room occupied by explosives. The explosives were controlled by a timer that was slowly counting down. There was a screen and a virtual keyboard in the center of room.

4:16

Tobin started to type on the keyboard. "Here, try making yourself useful." She tossed Dom a screwdriver. He proceeded to unscrew the timer.

"Any idea how to disable this murder device?" Dom asked as he finished unscrewing it. "I'm not very tech savvy."

"That's what I'm working on but there's a shit load of firewalls, but I'm making progress."

2:56

"We have to move now. It's halftime and my men are coming." Dom said.

"I'm not-"

"Now!" He repeated. Tobin was ripped from the computer by Dom before he rushed both of them out the room. "We need to split up." He said once he spotted his men. "Go somewhere away from the public." Dom handed Tobin the timer.

Since it was halftime, people were crowding the concession and the merchandise stands.

2:15

"I've located Dom. He's with some chick, but they split up."

"Find both of them and kill them."

Tobin moved swiftly in and out of the crowd trying to lose the man trailing behind her. If he wants to follow her, let him. He was about 10 yards behind her. She walked briskly to the stairs. Tobin opened the door hid behind the it. She waited. When it opened again. she elbowed him in the face hard enough for him to go unconscious. Tobin opened the timer and saw a complicated device filled with hundreds of wires. She snapped a picture of it with her phone and sent it over to Lauren.

"What now, Lauren?" Tobin asked. "There's a bunch of tiny wires."

"Cut all the blue wires. This will shut down the bomb." Lauren answered.

"Got it."

1:25

Tobin finished cutting the last blue wire. The screen on the timer went blank. She was ready to move, but she was pulled back harshly. She felt someone's arm press up against the front of her throat. The assailant had her in a choke hold. Tobin was quickly losing air. Before she could fight back, he held a syringe and pushed the tip of the needle into her neck.  
 __

* * *

  
Tobin woke up to an unpleasant surprise. She looked up and glared at the white ceiling. She was lying in a hospital bed.

"What are you doing here?" Tobin questioned as she saw Abby sitting on the edge of the bed.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Abby asked.

"I remember deactivating the bomb and shortly after that, the guy that I knocked unconscious stuck a needle into me. Then, I blacked out"

"The Program sensed your disloyalty. They wanted to prove it. The bomb was a test of your integrity and loyalty. You failed."

"I did exactly what you asked. You gave me orders to diffuse the bomb, and I did."

Abby shook her head, "You call 'deliberately disobeying orders and making empty promises' following orders. I specifically asked you to kill the men but, instead you made a friend with one of them."

"I was trying to locate the bomb so I didn't really have a choice."

"You knew exactly what you were doing. I know you better than anyone else, Tobin. You had the ability to find the bomb on your own," Abby got up from the bed and paced back and forth, "Aside from that, we have another mission for you, but since you deliberately disobeyed my commands, The Program is sending Servando with you. They feel you are untrustworthy on your own."

"Why with that bastard?" Tobin complained.

"The Program seems to gravitate to him more since he follows the rules. Also, The Program has zero tolerance for disloyalty so if I were you, I'd be cognizant I've what you are doing," Abby paused before calling Servando in.

Servando sauntered in and took a seat on the bed parallel to Tobin. He looked at her and smirked, "Hey, Toby."

"Don't call me that." Tobin snapped back. She detested the nickname, and coming from his lips made her hate it even more.

"The mission takes place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We're sending you undercover. It looks like the USWNT need another mid fielder since Megan Rapinoe has confirmed that she is still injured. Time to lace up your boots, Tobin. And Servando, they needed a new assistant coach. The real target this time is Alex Morgan. You have 5 days to get close to her and find out all the important information about her family. Then, you're going to finish the mission off by making it look like she died of 'natural causes'."

Abby handed them both a pen.

"What's this?" Servando asked.

"It's a Graf von Faber-Castel pen. The barrel is made out of aromatic sandalwood and the tip is made with 18-carat gold. It works like a regular pen would, but when you twist it, the tip injects three doses of poison into the victim. Use it at the right time and place. Whoever completes the task first will get rewarded by The Program. The other person will have serious consequences. The plane leaves tonight for Rio so let's get you guys to the airport."

 

* * *

 

 

The USWNT arrived at the airport in their Olympic apparel and checked in all their bags. They chatted for a bit while they waited until it was time to board the plane.

"Did you hear about the new player that's coming with us to Rio?" Ali mentioned.

"There's a new person coming?" Alex said shocked. "It's so close to the Olympics and we don't even know her."

Ali shrugged, "I don't know. I guess that's what Jill wanted."

"There's also a new assistant coach." Morgan added.

"Their names?" Kelley asked out of curiosity.

Ali shook her head, "No one knows, but they're heading through the doors as we speak."

Tobin and Servando walked in the airport side by side. She carried a duffel bag in one hand and had her backpack slung over one arm. By the time they walked in, the whole team was staring at them.

"Didn't know we were such a big deal." Servando whispered.

"We're not. Stop being a cocky little shit."

"Did I ever tell you that Alex and I dated?" The question came out  
more like a statement than an actual question.

Tobin didn't have time to respond because they were already approaching the team.

"Tobin!" A familiar voice shouted. She caught a glimpse of a freckled face girl sprinting towards her.

"Kelley!" Tobin exclaimed as Kelley squeezed her in a bone crushing hug.

"Where have you been?" Kelley asked, "You left in 8th grade and then I never saw you again."

"Well, it's a long story."

"That's not a problem because we have a lot of time in Rio. I'll have to show you the ropes dude." Kelley winked.

"Quiet down ladies!" Jill interrupted. "Here are our two new additions to the USWNT team!" She announced, which was followed by cheers and claps. "Please introduce yourselves."

Tobin decided to go first, "Hey, whats up, My names Tobin Heath. I'm 28 and I come from Basking Ridge, NJ." She recognized Alex right away from the picture. She made brief eye contact with Alex, but her stare was getting overwhelming so Tobin looked away. Damn those blue eyes were even better in person.

"Woo! NJ girls represent!" Carli hollered.

Servando followed, "Hey, I'm Servando Carrasco. I'm 27 and I come from California."

"It's great to have you on board." Jill concluded.

The place erupted into cheers and hollers again. Tobin was greeted by the players. Soon after that, someone announced over the speaker that it was time to board the flight. One by one the flight attendant checked everyone's boarding pass. Tobin was the last one to board. Servando sat in the front with the staff and Tobin didn't wasn't in the mood to make new friends so she opted to sit in the back of the plane. She looked out the window and drifted off to sleep since it would be a long flight ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> theuswnt17.tumblr.com is my tumblr if you wanna hit me up. Anyways, thanks for reading ! :)


	4. A Challenge

_"Who the hell are you?" Tobin yelled as she struggled to wiggle her hands out of the cuffs that were bound to the table. She's being held in an interrogation room._

_"The more you struggle, the more painful it's going to be." The woman informed as she took a sip of water. "My name is Abby Wambach. I currently work for a government organization called The Program."_

_"I don't give two shits about your life story." Tobin interrupted._

_Abby ignored her comment and continued speaking. "As I was saying, we are a government organization. So basically we track down dangerous people and take them out if we feel threatened by them."_

_"Is that why you killed my parents?"  Tobin questioned angrily._

_"Like I said, we take out dangerous people and your parents were far beyond that. But that's not why you're here. I have a proposal to offer you." Abby cleared her voice. "You can join your family, by being executed. Or you can begin a new life with us. We will train you and provide the resources and necessities you need. You will become one of the greatest assassins under our control."_

_"You've got to be kidding me." Tobin scoffed._

_"It's a new beginning, Tobin. What else do you have to live for?"_

_Tobin sat there, and pondered for awhile. "Why? Why would I work for a cruel group of people like yourselves? You can kill me now if you please." Tobin laughed._

_Abby mirrored the laugh, "That's funny how you actually think you have a choice, Tobin. Listen, kid. You work for us now. I will train you and in return you will follow my orders. In any way, you try to pull any stunts on us or disrespect me during training, you'll be wishing you were dead just like your parents. After we have gone through extensive months of  heavy training, hopefully you'll be ready to go out into the field," She rose from her seat, "Training starts in a few minutes. Get her ready." Abby said as she instructed someone to unlock Tobin's cuffs._

_The guard placed neatly folded workout clothes on the table. It was just a simple white t-shirt and plain running shorts._

_"You have two minutes to get changed. If you don't meet the time requirement, there will be consequences." Abby said as_ _she_ _and the guard left._

 _She wasn't afraid of The Program so Tobin took her sweet time getting dressed. Once she was done changing, Tobin was escorted out of the room and led down a corridor. He stopped at_ _the_ _door and opened it. The space was immense. There was training equipment for pretty much everything scattered around the place. In the middle of the room there was a large mat. Abby stood on the mat waiting for Tobin._

 _"You're late," Abby reminded her. She grabbed a sword and held the tip of the cold metal against Tobin's throat. "Don't let it happen again." She warned as she withdrew it. She threw two wooden sticks_ _on the ground near Tobin's feet_ _and grabbed two for herself._

 _"What are these?" Tobin aske_ _d as she bent down and picked the sticks up._

_"Escrima sticks. You're gonna learn how to fight with them." Abby said. "Begin."_

_Tobin was agitated with this shit so she swung the stick with all of her force at Abby. Abby dodged the weak attempt easily. Abby moved behind her swinging both sticks under her_ _legs_ _causing Tobin to fall hard on her back._

_"Again." Abby said. "Get up. You have to able to endure the toughness like a soldier would."_

_Tobin slowly rose to her feet, "That's the problem, I'm nothing like a soldier."_

* * *

  
The flight was painfully long but they finally made it to Brazil. Tobin barely slept on the trip because her thoughts were clouding her brain too much. Thank God the bus ride to the hotel was fairly short.

"Grab your bags and get situated in your hotel rooms. There's strength training later today and then the rest of the day is yours to rest. We are days away from our first group stage match versus New Zealand." Jill said as she exited the bus. The staff followed her along with the players being the last ones off.

"C'mon Ash, I need to get coffee." Ali stated as she grabbed her hand and dragged her along.

"I wanted to meet Kelley's new friend but whatever you want, babe." Ash complied as they headed to the nearest coffee place.

"You don't know how happy I am to see you again." Kelley said as she engulfed Tobin into another hug as they reached the hotel lobby.

"Same here." Tobin replied. She missed the absence of contact there.

"Are y'all gonna get into the elevator or just stand there and have your own little middle school reunion?" Pinoe said as she sighed and rolled her eyes, her index finger hovering over the button for the fifth floor.

"Nah, man. We'll just take the stairs. I'll race ya, Tobin." Kelley said as she dashed to the stairs.

Tobin and Kelley raced as fast as they could to the fifth floor. Of course, Tobin won by a landslide. 

"Dang, how'd you get up here so fast." Kelley said, panting loudly.

"I thought you were suppose to be a professionally soccer player?" Tobin laughed as she held the door open for her.

"Yeah, but that was like lightning quick. Freaking unreal, Tobin Heath." Kelley said as she stepped into the hallway.

"So, who are you rooming with?" Tobin asked.

"The youngster, Mal Pugh. This floor is all of the players and staff so you won't have to worry about annoying tourists."

"Uh, Would you happen to know who my roommate is?"

"Not sure, but your room is right next to Alex's. She's rooming with Allie. It's room 1344 on your right. See you at training later!" Kelley said as she skipped happily to her room.

Tobin walked right up to room 1344. She inserted her door key and turned the knob. Right away she was met with these soft, comforting green eyes.

"Oh hey, Tobin. I'm Christen." Christen was in the middle of changing her shirt when Tobin disturbed her.

"Shit sorry. I should have knocked." Tobin apologized, but she couldn't help marvel at Christen's toned abs and her defined body as she pulled the material over her head.

"Oh no, it's fine. We are roommates after all." Christen reassured. Tobin noticed how flushed Christen's cheeks got so she quickly changed the subject.

"So, uh which bed are you sleeping in?" Tobin asked as she walked over to the two perfectly made beds.

"I thought that maybe you'd want the bed by the window." Christen suggested.

"You're right. That was an excellent guess." Tobin said as she belly flopped onto the bed by the window. She genuinely started to like her roommate. "This bed is so comfy." Tobin said as she rolled around in the sheets.

Christen sat down on her bed looking at Tobin. "You're like a child." Christen said as she giggled at the playful sight in front of her.

"I mean children are cute, so you're technically calling me cute, right?" Tobin rolled over to face Christen and flashed her famous grin. Talking to Christen was so effortless for Tobin. She could easily let her guard down when she was around her.

"You seem sweet and all, but I just don't think you're my type." Christen teased. Christen was a challenge already, and Tobin enjoyed challenges.

Tobin perked up at the denial, "Oh yeah?" She laughed. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Won't we?"

Christen found herself laughing again, "We shall see, Heath, but let's get to training."  
..  
"Today is just going to be a light training session. Stretch. Loosen up. We are trying to adjust from the time zone change and jet lag." Jill said as the players disbursed into their own little groups.

Tobin went to work. She started to do planks. She wanted to work on her core. Tobin kept an eye on Alex as she was doing ladder drills. After all, she was her mission. She spotted Servando and her laughing so she decided to intervened.

Tobin walked over. "Hey, Coach Carrasco." Tobin smiled at Alex, then turned her attention to Servando. "Do you mind taping up my ankle? It feels kinda weird."

Servando clenched his jaw tightly. His dark eyes narrowed, "Yeah, that won't be a problem, Tobin." He turned to Alex. "I'll see you later, Alex."

"Bye Servando." The raspiness in Alex's voice caught Tobin's attention and she knew right away that she wanted to hear more of it.

"Woah, is that your old asshole boyfriend from UC Berkeley?" Allie asked as Servando and Tobin walked away. "If I remember correctly, he was a dick who left you without any explanation."

"Correction. He said things were getting really bad for him so he decided to drop out. The night before he left, he said he still loved me but it wouldn't work out between us. Of course I was hurt when I never heard from him again but I learned to move on." Alex said.

"I see. Anyone else on your radar? How about the new girl? She seems like your type." Allie said.

Alex experimented with a girl back in high school, but she wasn't sure how it would work now. She did have to admit that Tobin was good looking. Her sun kissed tan matched her perfect smile. "I don't know, Allie."

Allie nodded. "We should start getting back to ladders."

"Agreed."

"Did you guys actually date?" Tobin asked as she sat down while Servando grabbed the tape.

"Yes we did and you'd be dead right now if there weren't so many people around." Servando said quietly as he proceeded to wrap Tobin's ankle. "You have no chance to successfully finish this mission. I've known Alex longer and of course she's gonna open up to me more."

"Oh yes, can she please open up to the douche bag who broke her heart?" Tobin said sarcastically.

"I chose something more important than love. That's all." Servando finished wrapping Tobin's ankle.

"You don't have any feelings for her anymore?"

"No because you shouldn't constantly let your own personal feelings get in the way. Or you'll never have what it takes to make it in this business." Servando said as he walked away.

Tobin watched Alex, carefully. Swiftly, Alex moved in and out of the ladder. Tobin only has five days to complete this mission so she had to make a move soon.

"Got a thing for brunettes, huh?" The voice snapped Tobin out of her gaze and she looked up. "Sorry to snap you out of your daydream, but I'm Ashlyn Harris."

Tobin nodded, acknowledging her. Her eyes were still fixed on Alex. She figured she'd play along. "Yeah, I got a thing for that brunette. Any chance she's in dirty blonde hotties?"

Ashlyn cracked a smile, "Damn, you're so modest. You must pick up a lot of them." She joked. "Try talking to her, I bet she'd like you. That's my only advice."

"Thanks, Ashlyn," Tobin said as she rose to her feet. "I will. It was nice to meet you."

"You too."

"Looks like you got a thing for brunettes too." Tobin winked. She was referring to Ali.

"It took a long time, dude. You have no idea." Ashlyn said as they both laughed. "But I'll catch you later, Tobin. Gotta go do some goalie stuff." She waved.

Tobin was putting away the equipment because it was almost time to leave. The team clustered around the entrance as they made small talk. She heard Kelley scream her name across the room.

"Tobin! Come jump on these sick trampolines with Mal and me!" Kelley said bouncing up and down. She took up Kelleys offer and started to jump on the trampoline. The end of training was nearing so Tobin sprung off. Kelley and Mal did the same.

"Not child like at all." Christen said as she finished recording a video of Tobin.

"Wow, you must really think I'm cute if you recorded me." Tobin winked leaving an awestruck Christen.

"Amazing training session, ladies! There's another training session in the morning tomorrow, but you guys should rest now. Make sure to get a good nights rest." Jill announced.

"Make sure to hydrate yourselves too!" Dawn added. "There are pre made protein drinks in your fridge."

"Anyone up for food because I am famished?" Crystal asked. "I found a really good restaurant down the street."

"Count me in!" Pinoe answered.

"Yo, I'm down for some food." Meghan said.

"I would prefer macaroons but I guess food will do." Morgan said.

Hope looked at Kelley, "You wanna go, babe?"

"Hell yeah, I do!" Kelley chanted.

"Count Harris and Krieger in too" Ali said as she pecked Ashlyn on the cheek.

They piled into the hallway and headed to their rooms to get changed. Pretty much the whole team agreed to go grab a bite together except Tobin and Alex. It was day one of five and Tobin could possibly get a head start before Servando. She caught up to Alex in the hallway who was accompanied by Allie.

"Hey, Alex. I noticed you didn't say anything about going to grab a meal with the team, and I was wondering if you want to get something together?" Tobin asked. She tried to sound as convincing as possible. Allie definitely understood what Tobin was trying to get across so she lightly nudged Alex.

Alex smiled, "Uh yeah sure, that sounds great, Tobin. I'll meet you in the lobby in 15?"

"See you there." Tobin said. She slipped into her room and rummaged through her duffle bag trying to find something that didn't smell like sweat. Tobin thought it was odd that Christen wasn't back yet but she shrugged it off. She didn't have much success in finding something to wear so she looked through Christen's suitcase instead, and found a maroon sweatshirt that said Stanford in bold lettering. She pulled the hoodie over her head. Christen's sweatshirt had a sweet, flowery scent to it that Tobin just couldn't get enough of. Tobin decided to wear Christen's white game shorts with the number 12 in the lower left corner. She topped it off with a USA SnapBack because she was too lazy to fix her hair.

She rode the elevator down to the lobby. She spotted Alex and walked over.

Alex laughed instantly. "I love how you're rocking that Stanford hoodie."

"Sorry, I don't have a Cal one." Tobin grinned. "You'll have to let me borrow one from you."

"Only if you're worthy." Alex said.

"I'll prove it, don't worry," Tobin had that determined look in her eye. "We should get going though, because I am starving." Tobin said. Alex agreed. They walked outside the hotel and people were walking everywhere. "Here grab my hand." Tobin said as she led them both through the crowd. They stopped at a burger joint not far from the hotel.

"So what do you like to do besides look stunning on the field?" Tobin asked as they sat down at a booth. She was gonna take Ashlyn's advice.

"You're such a charmer, Heath." She laughed. "I'm on the road a lot for my NWSL team Orlando Pride and occasionally I do commercials and photoshoots. So I'm always busy."

"How about your family? Do you visit them often?" Tobin asked.

Alex shifted uncomfortably and gave a simple 'no'. Tobin noted that this was a sensitive topic. She realized she had to get closer to Alex to find out more. The waitress came and asked for their order. They both ordered a cheeseburger.

"Enough with the questions about me, what do you enjoy doing?" Alex asked.

"Oh, I do martial arts." Tobin almost laughed at her own lie, because there's no good way to tell someone that you kill people in your free time.

"Really?" Alex asked, surprised. "You'll definitely have to teach me sometime. I've always wanted to learn."

"Alright, sounds like a plan." Tobin grinned. The food arrived and Tobin and Alex spent the rest of the time talking and enjoying each others company. Tobin covered the bill and they were heading out to leave.

"Dammit, these hurt like hell." Alex was breaking in new shoes. She sat on a bench and took them off.

"Here, let's do this." Tobin grabbed Alex's shoes. "Just hop on my back, I'll give you a piggy back ride."

"Are you sure?" Alex asked but she already jumped up and wrapped her legs around the midfielders torso. Her her arms rested on Tobin's strong shoulders.

"So girly." Tobin shook her head as she carried Alex back to the hotel.

 

* * *

 

  
_Tobin's body probably had bruises forming already. Her body ached from the powerful hits that she was receiving from Abby. She took the Escrima sticks and put the two pairs away without saying a word. Tobin stood up and wiped the bead of sweat that was about to drip from her forehead. She was hungry and tired. Abby handed Tobin a sword. She called in some kid named Servando. He was a darker skinned teenager. He was also given a sword._

_"Great." Tobin mumbled._

_Abby muttered one word, "Go"_

_Servando charged at Tobin with the sword pointed at her chest. She reacted and moved out of the way._

_"What the hell was that for?" Tobin asked_ _, breathing heavily._ _It didn't matter because Servando was charging again. This time Tobin brought up her sword and the two metals clashed. Servando kicked Tobin in the stomach and she fell backwards. He slashed the sword diagonally across Tobin's abdomen. Immediately, Tobin felt tremendous pain. She looked down and saw that her white shirt was drenched in blood._

_Tobin woke up on a surgery table. The pain was unbearable as she tried to sit up. She was wearing a different shirt this time. She slipped her hand under her shirt and ran a finger across her fresh stitches. Tobin winced in pain. It stung like hell and it was definitely going to leave a scar._

_"Relax, Tobin." Abby appeared in the doorway._

_"Do you not understand? He could've killed me." Tobin argued._

_"Servando is trained. Those were his orders. And this was your consequence for being so nonchalant about everything. Hopefully, you've learned your lesson. There's training everyday this week. I would get as much rest as you can." Abby said as she left the room._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks fam for reading :)


	5. Surprises

After Tobin dropped Alex off at her room, she felt like she needed to go for a quick late night jog. She kept the sweatshirt on because there was a slight breeze out, but mostly because it was filled with Christen's sweet aroma, which was a plus and it was also comfortable to wear. She was distancing herself farther away from the hotel because she wanted to get away. After clocking in five miles, she found a nearby bench to rest on. Five miles was child's play for Tobin, she didn't even break a sweat. After having lunch with Alex, she had to get some alone time for herself. There was something about her that intrigued Tobin. Tobin looked around making sure that it was safe enough to call Abby.

"Day 1 went pretty well. I asked Alex if she wanted to go out to lunch and she said yes, surprisingly. I brought up the family topic but it seems to be like a sensitive one, I'll have to get closer to her for sure." Tobin informed.

"Good." Abby said. "Any particular reason why you're out so late?"

Tobin almost forgot that she had the GPS tracker on her. "Just needed to go loosen up my muscles. Is that a problem since you're tracking me every single second of your life?" Tobin said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Seems unusual to you. Everything going alright? Remember you have four days left."

"Yeah, everything's fine. I'll update you later. I have to go." It was getting close to eleven o'clock and she wondered if anyone noticed that she was gone so Tobin jogged back to the hotel. She was nearing the hotel when she stopped abruptly. "What the hell do you want, Servando? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Tobin asked in annoyance as she turned around. 

"I could ask you the same thing." He countered.

"Seriously, what do you want?" Tobin sighed.

He looked at her weirdly and then smirked, "Why are you wearing a Stanford sweatshirt?"

"I had nothing else to wear." Tobin stated. It wasn't the whole truth, but it wasn't a complete lie.

"No way, is that Christen's? Are you guys hooking up  _already_?"

"She let me borrow it from her and we are definitely not hooking up." Tobin couldn't help but laugh to herself. "Well, good talk." She said as they entered the lobby. They made their way to the elevator door and Tobin pressed the button with the arrow pointing up.

"Wait," Servando said as he tugged her arm back. The elevator doors parted.

Tobin roughly pushed his arm away, "Don't touch me, asshole. Or it will end badly for you." She didn't even try to keep her voice down because the hotel lobby was completely deserted with only a few dim lights lit up. She stepped into the elevator. He stayed in his position.

"Hey, I'm only trying to warn you." Servando is someone not to be trusted. He must have a nerve to think that she would actually believe for a second that whatever comes out of his mouth is true.

"Do me a favor, Servando, and fuck off." Tobin said before the elevator doors closed tightly. It was dark on floor five but Tobin managed to find her room. She inserted the room key and opened the door as quietly as possible, practically tiptoeing to her bed. She kicked off her shoes and left them by her duffel bag. Tobin was having a difficult time blocking out her feelings, when a perfect Christen Press was sleeping right in front of her like an absolute angel, but she reminded herself that she was here for one thing and one thing only: Alex Morgan. She climbed under the sheets and dozed off trying to take her mind off of everything single thought racing through her brain. 

 

* * *

 

 

The sunlight managed to creep in just enough for Tobin to groan loudly in utter annoyance. The constant beaming light was getting unbearable for Tobin, signaling it was time for her to wake up. Tobin rubbed her eyes and blinked a couple of times.

"I'm glad you finally decided to wake up, sleeping beauty." Christen said as she appeared from the bathroom, already dressed.

Tobin looked at her and a simple 'oh' was all she could come up with as she realized Christen was on her way to team breakfast. "Do you mind waiting for me?" Tobin practically begged as she jumped out of her bed.

Christen raised a brow, "Is that  _my_ Stanford sweatshirt?" She questioned. Tobin was scouring through her own duffel bag this time, looking for something to wear. Quickly, Christen scanned her outfit and also noticed her game shorts. "...and my shorts?" She added. 

"I-uh just had to borrow them because I had nothing to wear at the moment, and uh it was a little bit chilly out." Tobin laughed nervously as she was still preoccupied with trying to find something to wear. No one has ever made Tobin feel this jittery before. Her heart was literally beating as fast as it could in her entire life. Was Tobin Heath blushing? She sure hoped she wasn't.

"Hey," Christen said softly placing a gentle hand on Tobin's shoulder. Tobin felt a similar feeling yesterday, when she gave Alex a piggy back ride. Tobin stared into Christen's captivating bright green eyes that were so full of light and happiness, unlike her own which were empty and hollow. "I want you to keep them. Anyways they look better on you." She offered Tobin a small smile.

"Thanks Christen," Tobin replied as she gave up looking for a decent outfit. "Even though it smells like you, which is such an unpleasant scent, I guess I'll keep it." Tobin teased referring to the sweatshirt, which received a playful shove from Christen.

"Jerk!" Christen laughed rolling her eyes.

"Let's go, we're gonna be late and the team is gonna know something's up." Tobin said reaching for the door handle.

"Wait," Christen interrupted.

"What?" Tobin asked turning around.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Christen stared at Tobin's feet, which were barefoot. Her being barefoot didn't really bother Christen. She just used it as an excuse to look at how good Tobin looked in her clothes once more.

"No, I'm good." Tobin grinned shutting the door behind her. 

 

* * *

 

 

"Has anyone seen Tobin yesterday or this morning?" Kelley asked as she attempted to stuff a part of a blueberry muffin into her mouth. She stared around the table when she didn't hear a response. "No one?"

"Well," Ashlyn began. "We all saw her yesterday at training." There were more players who agreed.

"I didn't see her at team dinner though." Dunn said.

"That's true. Me either." Pinoe added.

Alex cleared her throat and spoke up, "Uhh, well, that's because we decided to get something together last night. Tobin and I."

The whole team turned their heads into Alex's direction. "You what?" Kelley asked almost spitting out her water.

"She asked me if I wanted to get something so I said yes." Alex said shrugging it off like it was no big deal. But apparently it was a big deal to the team.

"So does that count as a date? Are you guys hooking up?" Kelley asked loudly so practically everyone in the room could hear.

"Kelley..." Hope reprimanded her in a soft tone. Kelley glared at Hope.

Alex mentally thanked God because she didn't have to answer that question because Tobin was making her to the table along with Christen.

"Hi, guys." Christen said walking up to the table.

"Hey," Tobin greeted the team with a grin. "I should probably pull up chairs to sit." She said and soon she returned with two chairs that were nearby. The team made room for both of them and Tobin ended up sitting in the middle of Alex and Christen.

"Or you can just sit on Alex's lap." Pinoe mumbled as she walked away  to get seconds. The team snickered at her sarcastic comment. Alex looked down at her plate and reddened. Kelley suddenly changed the subject.

"Stanford sweatshirt, huh," She looked under the table, "And help me, but I don't recall number 12 being your number?" Kelley questioned.

"Christen gave them to me," Tobin flashed Christen an easy grin.

"Oh, alright." Kelley said as stopped pressing the subject and glared at her. Tobin knew she would definitely have to explain this later.

"I'm gonna grab some food, does anyone want anything?" Tobin asked as she stood up.

"No, I'm good," Christen said.

"I'm full." Kelley added.

"Wait, do you mind getting me a yogurt, please?" Alex asked.

"Sure, no problem, Lex." Tobin said walking away. She mentally cursed herself for that one.  _What the fuck was she thinking?_ Tobin thought as she walked up to a long table assorted with various breakfast foods.

Ali tugged Ashlyn's tattooed arm and whispered, "Do you really think Alex and Tobin are dating?"

Ashlyn chuckled, thinking back to her conversation with Tobin yesterday. "It might be a good possibility." She whispered back.

"Aw," Ali cooed. "They would be so cute together."

"Like us?" Ashlyn smiled as she gave Ali's hand a gentle squeeze. She placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

Hope was distracted with something when she felt Kelley tap her shoulder. "What, Kelley?" Hope asked looking at her.

Kelley leaned in and spoke quietly so no one would hear them, "Do you think Christen and Tobin are dating already?"

"Well," Hope started. "The sweatshirt thing seems odd, but the whole coming down to breakfast late together seems even odder."

"That's a good point, but what about Alex? Tobin just called her Lex. Did no one notice that? They definitely have something going on." Kelley said.

"If anyone noticed, they probably don't want to say anything. If Tobin is dating one of them, maybe she doesn't want to tell the team yet. She sounds like us when we were first got together."

"I'll find out sooner or later." Kelley was determined to find out what Tobin was up to.

 

* * *

 

 

After their strengthening session yesterday and two more exhausting hours of training today, the team was more than ready to begin their Olympic journey. Jill had already mapped out the lineup and proceeded to tell the players. Tobin occupied herself by passing the ball between her feet. She thought she did good in training today for not playing in a long time, but she wondered if it was enough to start against New Zealand.

"Here's the starting line up against New Zealand," Jill paused and flipped a page in her notebook. "Hope in goal. Julie, Kling, Becky, and Kelley in the back. Up top are gonna be Alex, Mallory and Carli. And are midfielders are Lindsey, Morgan, and Tobin. Recovery starts now. I'll see you ladies tomorrow and you better be ready to play. Practice is dismissed."

Kelley jumped on Tobin's back as the team entered the locker room, "I can't believe you're starting, that's great! We should celebrate tonight by going out to dinner."

"The night before a big game?" Tobin asked. She was also shocked that Jill picked her to start when there were other good players.

"We won't be out that late." Kelley said as she grabbed a towel. "I'm going to take a quick shower."

Tobin already knew Kelley didn't make reliable promises but she figured she'd go along with it. She shouldn't be worrying about how late she's gonna be out to, but her main priority and the reason why she's even here. Tobin surveyed the locker room in hopes of spotting Alex.

"Looking for something?" Once Tobin heard that soft raspy voice, she knew it was Alex. "Or someone?"

Tobin grinned raising a brow, "How did you know?"

"Because I was looking for you too." Alex answered. "I wanted to congratulate you on starting tomorrow."

"Oh, thanks." Tobin reddened. "The team is going out to celebrate tonight. I was wondering if I could have the pleasure of taking you out for a drink?" Tobin grinned widely leaning into the forward.

"Are you asking me out on another date? Alex questioned.

"Yes." Tobin stated firmly. Alex knew her and Tobin had some major chemistry going on, but the midfielder was still a mystery to her.

Alex paused and thought for a moment, "I'd love to."

Tobin smiled, "Great, I'll pick you later."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I write POVs from Alex and/or Christen? Anyways, thanks for reading !


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